Sentinel Exclusive: UCF coach George O’Leary `annoyed’ by NCAA infractions committed by two former staff members

In his first public statements since the NCAA announced major rules violations by the UCF football program, Knights coach George O'Leary told the Orlando Sentinel he is "annoyed that something like this was happening on my watch."

O'Leary said he was disappointed and frustrated two former staff members broke rules regarding text messages and phone calls to recruits.

"I'm annoyed that basically something like that happened that we didn't even know about on our end," he said of the coaching staff in an exclusive interview with the Sentinel. "We check the phone records like we're supposed to do and it wasn't enough."

He added, "Obviously, the coaching staff was upset when we found out about all of this."

UCF and the NCAA jointly announced the school was placed probation for two years because of what were deemed to be major infractions within the football program. The head coach was on vacation when the NCAA first announced former recruiting administrator Ed Marynowitz and former director of player personnel Steve Rubio combined to place 209 improper phone calls and about 100 improper text messages to recruits and their parents before they had signed letters of intent.

Marynowitz and Rubio were not coaches and did not have authorization to have any phone contact with recruits under NCAA rules. They also violated an NCAA ban on sending text messages to recruits that began in August 2007. Both staff members said in a report to the NCAA the UCF coaching staff was not aware of their actions.

The first infractions were discovered during a quarterly audit of football staff phone records in March 2008.

The university's inquiry found that from June 6, 2007, through Feb. 6, 2008, Marynowitz placed and received 141 phone calls from about 17 recruits or their parents. Marynowitz also sent 70 text messages to recruits and their families.

Marynowitz wrote in UCF's report to the NCAA that his phone contact with recruits was solely to help set up official visits, and he did not consider it recruiting. However, the recruits later told UCF investigators that the conversations also included more personal topics such as their football performance and referred to Marynowitz as their recruiting coach.

He left the program, working for the Miami Dolphins before landing his current job on Nick Saban's staff Alabama.

UCF completed its investigation and asked the NCAA to view the infraction as a secondary violation, but the school was forced to upgrade it to a major infraction when it received a tip Rubio used his personal cell phone to contact recruits despite being warned to avoid the improper activity that got Marynowitz into trouble.

Rubio left UCF to take an internship under Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, and he still works for the program despite a coaching change this offseason.

O'Leary was more troubled by Rubio's actions.

"What bothered me throughout the whole thing was that he left here taking an intern's job, which I thought was weird," O'Leary said. "Now we know why. He knew all about this when he took off and never said a word to us."

UCF's compliance staff continued its audits of office and work cell phones after Marynowitz's violation, but O'Leary said no one on the staff knew Rubio had a third phone he kept hidden from co-workers. Rubio used the personal cell phone place and receive 68 phone calls and send an unknown number text messages.

"It wasn't negligence on our part," O'Leary said. "I made it very clear that the second one [Rubio] wasn't to be making phone calls. I had this conversation with him in front of other coaches. It was very clear. When he left this place, he knew he was in trouble."

Marynowitz and Rubio have not made any public statements since the NCAA infractions were announced. Repeated attempts by the Orlando Sentinel to reach them for comment were unsuccessful.

The NCAA review of UCF's infractions determined most of the athletes had already committed to UCF and the impermissible phone contact did not appear to sway their college selections. The NCAA determined Marynowitz and Rubio have received more training on recruiting rules and are not threats to commit future recruiting violations.

Alabama associate athletic director for compliance Mike Ward told the Birmingham News Marynowitz informed school officials about his role in the UCF investigation before he was hired. Ward told the newspaper Marynowitz has been active working with the Crimson Tide compliance office to make sure he follows all NCAA rules.

"At the time of his hire, we knew Ed was assisting the NCAA enforcement staff with the matter at Central Florida," Ward said. "He was totally forthcoming with us."

Rubio also has received extensive compliance training at Tennessee, and Volunteers Athletic Director Mike Hamilton told the Knoxville News Sentinel Rubio faces no further punishment.

"It's all behind him," Hamilton said in an interview with the newspaper. "That investigation started subsequent to his employment at the University of Tennessee, and he cooperated fully with the questions he was asked and with the involvement of our compliance office and the NCAA."

As soon as UCF completed its investigation into Marynowitz's violation, the school self imposed some punishment. O'Leary and his staff had to wait an extra two weeks to make the first formal contact juniors from 2008-10. While other schools could send all their coaches on the road to recruit, UCF decided to hold one coach back from 2008-10 as punishment for the violations.

Despite those limitations, UCF signed arguably the best recruiting class in school history earlier this month.

"The limitations that were imposed, we basically imposed on ourselves," O'Leary said. "I thought that the staff worked extremely hard at recruiting. That's something you don't always see for a school on probation. Sometimes you look back at what happened and spend time wondering why people did things they did to set you back. This staff never looked back. They just worked harder for this program, and I'm very proud of them for that."